Connector for joining pipelines having outer jacket insulation in continuously insulated relation



2,980,448 CKET C. D. HOLBEN ING PI April 1s, 1961 CONNECTOR FOR JOIN PELINES HAVING OUTER JA INSULATION IN CONTINUOUSLY INSULATED RELATION Filed March 24, 1958 om, 8 mN INVENTOR. Clair D. Ho Iben v @GEOS u CONNECTOR FOR JOINING PIPELINES HAVING `OUTER JACKET INSULATION IN CONTINU- OUSLY INSULA'IED RELATION Clair D. Holben, Denver, Colo., assigner to Beech Aircraft Corporation, Wichita, Kans., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 24, 1958,v ser. No. 723,185

` 1 claim. (ci. 28s-47) The invention herein disclosed relates to conduits having outer jacket insulation, such as used for carrying liquefied gases at low temperatures.

Objects of the invention are to provide a pressure tight connector for such pipelines, which can be readily connected and disconnected and which will be insulated across the joint by double wall jacket construction ofthe same effective character as the rest of the pipeline.

Further special objects of the invention are to provide a connector for jacketed conduits, in which the ow area of the conduit will be maintained uniform and continuous to avoid turbulence and impedance of ow and in which the overall jacket size of the joint will be kept at a minimum.

Other special objects of the invention are to elect continuous engagement of therinner conduit sections and to provide means for'maintaining this continuity, thus to compensate for possible wear, shrinkage or improper length of parts.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a connector of the type indicated, which while not requiring rotary relation of connected parts, may permit such rotation if required, to bring parts into alignment and in which sealing of the connected parts together will be eiective and can be maintained eiective under all conditions.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a connector or coupling of the character indicated, which will be of simple construction, reasonable in cost and which will not require special tools, but may be connected and disconnected by usually available tools, such as an ordinary wrench.

Other desirable objects attained by the invention and the novel features through which the purposes of the invention are accomplished, arewset forth and will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification is illustrative of a present practical embodiment of the invention, but structure may be modified and changed as regards such illustration, all within the true intent and scope of the invention, as hereinafter delined and claimed.

Fig. l in the drawing is a broken longitudinal sectional view of one of the conductors showing two sections of conduit engaged, ready to be connected.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the two sections of pipeline fully connected.

In the drawing, the inner conduit of one pipeline section is designated 5, and the corresponding inner condiut of a companion pipeline section is designated 6. These meet in aligned end-to-end engagement through the medium of abutting end collars 7, 8, welded or otherwise atiixed to them. The end ring or collar 7, is shown as shouldered at the inner side at 9, providing an annular seat for the outer jacket 10, of conduit 5, and an abrupt abutment shoulder 11, for packing 12, which is interposed between the two pipeline sections.

The jacket pipe 10, is welded or otherwise permanently secured to end ring 7, so as to provide a permanently sealed annular insulating space 13, clear to the end of the pipeline section 5.

In similar fashion, a permanently sealed insulating jacket is provided about the mating pipe section 6, and extended to receive an elongated portion of the tirst insulated section by tubing 14, welded or otherwise attached to end ring S, and extended to encompass packing 12 and `the permanently sealed end portion of the other pipe section, with this extended tubing welded or otherwise secured at 15, inside -a coupling ring 16, and to which coupling ring, there is welded or otherwise secured at 17, the outer jacket tubing 18, of the second pipe section.

Jacket 18 is enlarged where it extends over the inner extension wall 14 of the second pipesection, providing an annular permanently'sealed insulating chamber 19, extending all the way to the end of the second pipe section and it is shown as reduced at 20, behind the end collar S, down to a size at 21, suitable for an insulating cover over the inner conduit section 6.

The companion piece to the coupling ring 16, is shown as a flange 22, rotatably centered over the jacket 10, of the iirst pipe section and connected with the ring 16, ixed on the jacketed end of the second pipe section by bolts and nuts 23, 24.

Further possibilities of relatively rotative adjustment are provided for by having these bolts extend through an anchor ring 25, rotatably shouldered on the end ring 16 at 26. e

The packing 12, is shown as V-ring or chevron packing, which under longitudinal compression willexpand radially to completely till and seal the annular space between the jacket wall l() oftherlirst pipeline section and the extension wall 14, ofthe second section. l I

To allow a degree of self-adjustment in taking up on the packing, a loose thrust sleeve or bushing 27, is interposed between takeup liange 22, and the outer end of the packing.

Fig. l shows how the parts are assembled. The extension 14, end ring 16, and surrounding jacket 18, constitute a permanently sealed insulated socket or chamber extension of the pipeline 6, of a size to receive the end ring 7 and permanently sealed insulated jacket on the end` of pipeline section 5, with end ring 7, in face-to-face relation with end ring 8, and with the elongated annular space between jacket wall 10 of the irst section and eX- tension wall14, of the second section providing an elongated compression chamber for the packing.

For connecting the pipeline sections therefore, it is only necessary to introduce the permanently sealed end portion of the Iirst section into the permanently sealed extended insulated portion of the second section and' to then connect the coupling flanges or rings 16 and 22, to apply end pressure through bushing 27, on packing 12, which at its inner end abuts shoulder 11, on the end ring 7 of the iirst pipe section.

The pressure in packing 12 from tightening nuts 24 on bolts 23 is thus made effective to metal seal the end ring 7 of the first pipe section to the end ring 8 of the second pipe section with conduit sections 5 and 6 in alignment and full cross section to freely pass the liqueed gas or other fluid.

The permanently sealed insulating jacket spaces 13 and 19 on the ends of the mating pipe sections overlap a considerable length, electively insulating the joint and providing a long heat path preventing thermal losses.

The packing 12 may have a spacer 28 interposed intermediate the ends of the same and the length of the spacer may be determined at the point of application.

This packing, with optional spacer 2S, when used, effectively seals the space between the overlapping parts 3 Y Y W against escape of liquid or gas and prevents thermal losses to or from the ratmosphere through contained iluids.

The abrupt abutment shoulder 11 for the end ring 7 Vmay be provided, as shown, by avrseparate surroundingY ring Y279', secured by counter-sunkpscrews StL-snap ring or other fastening. on the fixed end ring V'l'.

The structure is relatively simple Iand o-f sturdy design Vandrdoes not Vadd objectionable Weight, bulk or complication to the connected pipe lines.

VWhile for simplicity, bolt Yconnections may be preferred, it is Ycontemplated that the couplingV elements may be connectedby other such means. 6-

The requisite parts are relatively few in number, these are readily assembled and at reasonable cost.

The permanently sealed jacket'ed end ofthe iirst pipe- -line section is accurately centered at the inner end in the elongated permanently sealed jacketed end of the second Y Vpipeline section by the compressed packing between the two .and'by engagement of the jacket spacing rings at the meeting ends of these sections and at the outer end by Y the packing and Vby the packing compressing bushing. YThe packing thus serves a lmultiple purpose of sealing the jacketed conductors in the overlapping insulated relation, excluding uid between these Vparts and mechanically supporting and reinforcing the same and while the second pipe section, an outer jacket wall on said first Y Y 4 Y on that section in spaced relationtto saidiirstv pipe section,"an extension wall of larger diameter `than the outer VVjacket wall of said Yfirst section permanently sealed to said larger end ring on said second section and extending over said smaller end ring andk in spaced relation over the jacket wall of said first section, a jacket wall over said second'pipe line section and extendingin spaced rela- .tion over said extension wa1l,'a coupling` ring permanentlysealed to the ends of said'extension wall and jacket Wall extending thereover, packing[interposed in the space between the jacket wall of saidiirst pipe section and said extension wall of the second pipe section, an annular abutment shoulder on said smaller end ring extendinglacross said space'betw'een said'k jacket wall of the rst pipe section and said extension Vwall ofthe second pipe section and slidably received within said eXtension wall, said abutment shoulder -being engaged by the 6 inner end of said packing,`a"bushing surrounding the pipe'section permanently sealed to the smaller end ring x jacket wall of the Yiirst pipe section-'in thrust applying engagement with the outer end-of saidfpacking,Y a coupling flange surrounding the jacket wallof said first pipe section inthrust engagement with `said `bushing' and screw means for -adjustably connecting :said Ycoupling flange with `said coupling ring andrforr applying 4thrust through said packing to force and secure the conduit sections together Withthe end rings inY abutting metal seal engagement. 1

Y VReferences Cited the file of thisv Apatent- UNITED STATES PATENTS 'j 880,812 `iyrcArfhur K -V ,Ma r.p3, i908 1,288,631 Y M61=ar1and' Dec. 24,A 191s 2,785,536 Y rnncney i p r Mar. 19, 1957 2,880,020 andere Mar.. 31, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTSKV Y Y 

